7 from MIT arrested at Kerry protest

By Sean Dougherty

On Tuesday afternoon, six MIT students and an MIT lecturer were
arrested for trespassing during an exercise in civil disobedience held in
the Boston office of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA) to protest military aid to
El Salvador's right-wing government. Six Harvard students and a Tufts
student were also arrested.

Most of the students arrested were affiliated with the Central American
Solidarity Association, MIT Committee on Central America, or Harvard COCA.
Mary Baxter '93, Seth Gordon '91, Ron Francis G, Joshua Freeze '92, Steve
Penn G, David Stern '91, and Louise Dunlap, an MIT lecturer in the
Department of Urban Studies and Planning, were all released on $25 bail per
person. They were all arraigned on Wednesday, and their trial date was set
for Jan. 23. All pleaded not guilty. According to Gordon, the protesters
may try to prove that their action was necessary to prevent violations of
international human rights law, though a legal strategy for the group has
not been formally discussed.

The protest started at 4 pm with as many as 100 street demonstrators
carrying signs and chanting slogans such as "Death squad violence, just say
no."

The demonstrators demanded that Kerry issue a statement calling for no
more US military aid to El Salvador's government and a halt to government
bombings near civilian areas in El Salvador. Last year, Kerry supported a
bill through the Senate which guaranteed $85 million in US military aid to
the Salvadoran government for the current fiscal year.

The arrested persons refused to leave Kerry's office until he made such a
statement. Gordon later explained, "The Salvadoran death squads are
operating with our money -- US money -- and in our name. We must show
Senator Kerry, Congress, and El Salvador that we will not tolerate this
misuse of our tax dollars."

At least 30 police took the protesters away in police vans. Most of the
demonstrators were cooperative during the arrests, but Freeze had to be
carried out by police.

Protesters also voiced concerns that the war in El Salvador will become
another Vietnam, that death squad violence will continue and likely
increase, and that the rightist government does not represent the people's
views.

The demonstrators initiated the protest in response to an anticipated
emergency military aid bill to assist El Salvador's government in its fight
against the Farabundo Mart'i National Liberation Front (FMLN), an alliance
of leftist rebels. Recent reports from the New York Times have
indicated that this military aid will most likely be expedited because of
calls from the El Salvadoran government to replenish arms supplies.

The United States already gives $1.4 million a day in economic and
military aid to El Salvador, and has 55 military advisors stationed there.

The FMLN launched its largest offensive in the decade-old civil war on
Saturday night. Rebel forces took large areas in San Salvador and other
cities. President Alfredo Cristiani declared a state of siege Monday night,
which suspends most personal liberties and gives the government vast powers
to detain citizens.

The organizers of the protest, citing the New York Times, the
British Broadcasting Corporation, and the Red Cross, say that the
Salvadoran military is strafing civilian neighborhoods, on the grounds that
these neighborhoods are housing the rebels.

Associated Press reports indicate that the government has reclaimed a
significant portion of this area, although rebels are still entrenched in
some areas of the country. Observers say the rebels have underestimated
their civilian support.

Nearly 70 thousand Salvadorans have been killed since the civil war began
nearly a decade ago. Many of these deaths have been attributed to the
military and government.

Note:

Lois Dunlap can answer questions, give quotes: hm-547-6881. Ask her how to
get in touch with the official spokespeople. Also talk to David Stern.